Christian Warfare | Part 1

What were finding studios in Memphis, Tennessee, Byron Tyler here with Yuri Vaughn, the CEO of little refining.

Today we look at Christian warfare part one. Get your Bibles and turn to Ephesians chapter 6 Adrian Rogers will be looking at verses 10 through 20 care you know whether we realize it or not we are part of a war between light and darkness and we can't afford to be ignorant and we can't afford to be neutral either. It's everyday it's every hour can I say this, Satan is ready. He's prepared he's equipped. The question is are we water my donation. Roger says when we were born again were born from above and you being heaven born or haven't been out you were born for a battle and you were born to win. That's exactly right. I had a pastor one time said you know I never battled anyone or anything, but I battled everything on my knees in prayer and I think we have to put on the full armor of God that the the whole armor of God each and every day that's how this Christian warfare is going to be fought for us.

Our Victor is Jesus you know. But we have to fight it on our knees and with the word of God, that's exactly right. As we look at the belt of truth in the breastplate of righteousness, and on and on and on that you like the fact that the sword the sword is the main tool right is the offense of tool. Everything else is for the defense and so we need to swing the sword and that is the word of God well over finding you know faithfully swings that sword through the teaching of Asian Roger is a man well. We also must remember Carrie that Satan is Adrian Rogers is going remind us today on the program never to underestimate him because he's our enemy, and we cannot count him out. He's a destructive force, but don't forget he's also a defeated foe. The battle has already been won the victory is ours. We just have to name and and claimant basically right, and as we look at this a sermon based on Ephesians chapter 6. We know that the belt of truth all away down to the helmet of salvation we activate the full armor of God, by prayer, so prayer is the key that activates the full armor of God are we in a constant mode of prayer, so that we can fight the warfare we care. We always enjoy hearing from her love refining listeners and I think you have something from a listener now I do is says this pastor Rogers solid calm, steady assurance inspires me to break free of many things that have been in my life since my youth. Thank you for keeping these messages on the air test so encouraging, we get these every day it's it's a reminder, Byron, to what God is called us to do. Carrie we have a resource nothing but the truth DVD that's available at LWF's online store once give us a word about this product. This is a wonderful project. It's been in the works for about four years. God's blessing. I believe God will use it in a mighty way.

The theme of it is what is absolute truth goes back to when Pontius Pilate look to Jesus and said what is truth. Ironically, he was looking truth right in the face and so that it's a new documentary film showcasing the teaching and preaching of Adrian Rogers but also other key personalities, people like Robert Jeffers, Tony Evans Lee Strobel Dave Ramsey and so on.

It is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful project that you want to get a copy of the DVD. Use it in a church setting. Use it with family, friends, your community, small groups, whatever, but get it and walk through the process. God will use it in your life in a mighty way you can go to LWF.org and get the resource nothing but the truth DVD and now what today's message Christian warfare part one. Here's Adrian Rogers take God's word and find Ephesians chapter 6 where going to talk about warfare today because there is a dark diabolical deadly dirty war that is being fought in America. It is a form of guerrilla warfare, sabotage, subversion, innuendo, sniping is a deadly war.

It is a war between life and darkness, good and evil, heaven and hell.

Christ and Satan. And whether you realize it or not you are a part of that you cannot afford to be ignorant and you cannot possibly be neutral.

If you try to be neutral you going to find yourself in the crossfire and in the most dangerous place of all you dare I say big, you must not endeavor to be neutral. I want us to read about that warfare. Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put all whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the boat.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore they come to you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand stand therefore, having your loins good about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints and for me, that utterance may be given to me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds that there and I may speak boldly as I disagree. We are at war.

This message is a warning. A call to arms, but a declaration of victory.

I want to say again when you were born again you were born from above and you being heaven born on heaven bound, but you are also born for battle. You were born for the bad. But again, when you were born again you were born to win. That is what you must stand in. This is a wonderful passage of Scripture that talks about the Christian warrior is not merely talking about the pastor on the evangelist of the missionary.

It is talking about new server. It is talking about new lady so let's learn what God's word is saying not just in general are not long ago what God is saying with specificity to you this morning are you with me. I want to listen to several things I want you to notice. First of all, the Christian warrior and his adversary. We must we must know our enemy. Look, if you will again in verse 11, he says put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of fee that that's you at the same you must know your enemy.

He is called the devil. Now the devil today is sort of a laughable character. We think of the devil is as some medieval superstition. Today we make light of the devil we call football teams, devils and demons with talk about deviled ham and devil's food cake and said sort of a joke. We think of the devil as some sort of a guy long red underwear with a pitchfork trying to get somebody bending over and that's the idea.

That is the caricature that we have of the devil are sophisticated age today makes the idea of a real or personal devil more or less laughable, but you have an enemy. He is very real. The Bible does not speak of him is some figment of the imagination, but it is always been his purpose to pull the veil of darkness over his kingdom, and either have his very existence denied for a while but he really doesn't want that he wants to worship and he will only use this disguise so long before he removes the veil himself and says bow down and worship me that it's important that we understand who the devil is in warfare because if there is no enemy is going to be no preparation for, we used to sing a song about the Lord Jesus we sing it sometimes of this churchy live. He lives Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and he talks with me along life in our way. You could sing about Satan, he live the lives Satan lives. Today he is only works on me along life in our way. You have an enemy and you must understand this now. How is this in may describe what I want you to see. First of all, he is a decided that ACT verse 11. The devil I hope you believe in the devil.

If you don't believe that the devil exists.

You are in very precarious situation not only see a decided fact he is a destructive flow. Notice how he is described look in verse 11 that you might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. That word while the record for wiles of methyl via is the word we get methodical from is the word we get method from Satan is very methodical in Satan's warfare. He is very strategic. He may even step back, two steps in order to go forward. Three stents, he may let you think that you're getting away with your sin. He may even seem to be blessing you and helping you along your way.

He is very strategic. He has made a plan to sabotage your life in your home. The dynamite is in place. The fuses laid the mattress truck and Satan is working on you he is widely he is subtle, apart from the leadership of the Holy Spirit of God, he would deceive the very elect.

He is first of all strategic verse 11. Also, he is spiritual look in verse 12 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. I watch this against spiritual wickedness. One is a lot of that going on today.

Spiritual wickedness. You see, sometimes people think because something is spiritual. It is good to know that spiritual goodness in their spiritual wickedness. The Bible says, believe not every spirit test the spirits whether they are of God.

Sometimes people get into séances necromancer Ouija board horoscopes, clairvoyance, vision, Hindu mysticism is open, pastor. There's really something to yes there is something to that's what I'm trying to get you to understand there is something to it. There is spiritual wickedness. Now your enemy is strategic he is spiritual and that Martin Luther said his power and craft are great in arm with cruel hate on earth is not his equal, because not only is he strategic and spiritual. He is strong look.

Again, if you will, in verse 12. There he talks about principalities and powers in your flesh. You are no match for your adversary. You are puny and weak. If you come against Satan in your own strength.

You might as well be throwing snowballs at the Rock of Gibraltar, then to come against Satan in your own strength.

He is powerful.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, authorities, and then I gave him. He's also sinister look, if you will, in verse 12 bear. The Bible talks of darkness in their.

The Bible talks of wickedness Satan has dark devilish tyrannical power and is in a fight to the finish, and there's nothing that that dirty devil will not direct the ruin to destroy your life and I believe that he knows he has been a little while and he is like a cornered animal is fighting with no holes barred.

Now he is a decided fact he is a destructive force, but he is listen to me a defeated foe. He is a defeated foe. Look, if you will again in verse 10 is what the apostle Paul says, finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power is might because our God has already defeated Satan is not the Satan shall be defeated. He is already defeated.

He is a defeated fellow Jesus said facing the cross. Now is the prince of this world cast out putting your margin first John chapter 4 verse four GR God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you is that the Holy Spirit that he lives in the world who is that the devil you see, Satan is strong Satan is sinister Satan is strategic.

Satan is spiritual, but God is all mighty and greater see that's in you than he that is in the world and so if you don't ever learn these true you're not going understand victory that passed.

If Satan is a defeated foe, then why do I have to be war because while Satan's back was broken at Calvary God still allow Satan to have power on this earth.

It is limited power and it is power that we as Christians can and shall overcome in the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is a part of God's plan to make overcome was of us and did greater glory to himself.

I was reading in the newspaper about rattlesnakes and I click the article is what it said doctors in Arizona have a warning for the public.

A rattlesnake can bite even if his head has been cut off is an interesting article and I copied out a part of that article 5 of 34 rattlesnake bites that Jeffrey suck card and frankly that you of the good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix treated between June 1997.

In April 1998 involved snakes that the victims thought were dead rattlesnake had been killed in some instances his head admin cut off, but even that severed head had bitten the individual so here's a snake whose bed is still biting. That's a good description site that is a good description of Satan.

He has been defeated in his hand was severed at Calvary and yet he still has dark diabolical power.

Now that's the very first thing you need to understand that is the Christian warrior and his adversary the devil I here's the second thing how important it is that you understand this and that is the Christian warrior and his armor. We need not only to recognize our enemy we need to prepare for the battle. If you don't prepare for the battle Uganda loses you to put on the whole armor of God, and it is to be holy armor notice verse 13 wherefore take him to you the whole armor of God that is so very important that you take the whole armor that you don't leave off a piece. Now let's look at that armor and God describes that armor.

First of all, the he says he stand therefore, having your loins good about withdrew. First of all you put on the girl of truth, which is the believers integrity, truth stands for integrity. This is soldier and that they wore a tunic and they had a leather belt. Sometimes you see motorcycle riders with a leather belt around sometime to seek weightlifters with a big strong leather belt around them because that is to hold the center strap together and a warrior that they had a leather belt at girdle that was cinched up type to prepare them for the battle to protect his loins and all that belt he would hang his weapons of warfare. His dagger would be that his sword might be there. This belt was very important and it held his tunic together because he didn't want as long flowing tunic to be out in the window to be snagged or to be called and so here's to where a girdle a belt of proof that belt my friend is in it is integrity that holds everything else together. Truth and integrity are synonymous. You are to believe the truth you to know the truth you to love the truth you to tell the truth. You are the lip the truth you to preach the truth and if you don't, your life is going to come part.

You can I say you cannot get into this battle unless you have the belt of truth.

Satan is a and Satan will come against you with lives.

Jesus is the truth. Satan is lying his attack on you is to bring a lack of integrity in your life are you wearing at this moment bigger truth. Are you living a lie. If you are not wearing proof. If you do not have a good look through. If you do not have integrity in your life in the big things and in the small things you are going to lose the battle. It is truth that holds everything together and without truth.

Everything falls apart is the second piece of that is the breastplate of righteousness. Now righteousness is the believers purity that is there is to be no unconfessed unrepented of sin in your life, a warrior at this time had a breastplate, it would be made of woven change. Sometimes it would cover his heart. It would cover his lungs. It would cover his intestines. His vital organs and without that breastplate, of course, he was very vulnerable to any sword thrust Denny.

Ira actually has to have a breastplate and that breastplate is righteousness and what is righteousness.

It is Jesus said blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Now what the enemy wants to do is to attack you, not only with lies, but he wants to attack you with impurity. It will seek to get you to read some filthy men's magazine.

They want you to watch some filthy movie and then come to church on Sunday morning he wants to get that into your heart and your mind. He wants to get you doing some little dirty good business deal says no big sin is right, but it's a crack in the armor is a crack in the armor and Satan knows where that crack in the armor is. Who is it not so loud lonely little sin, and I answered and soon all Hill was my have not only integrity but have key with all diligence, blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God not ask you question the lantern out loud, but answer is your heart to I mean is your heart pure before God. If not, you cannot win in the warfare is a piece of your armor that is missing Satan fears a holy Christian.

Thirdly, you put on the shoes of peace. Look, if you will. Also in verse 15 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, a Roman soldier needed good shoes to fight with a Roman soldier would have Hotmail's on the bottom of his shoes very much like football cleats because when you're fighting you need a place to stand. You need to have good footing in this passage Paul is going to tell us to stand to stand. The stand and therefore your feet need to be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. That is tranquility.

Talk about peace now is talk about peace with God and he thought about peace with one another and a song about the peace of God in our heart.

You see, Jesus gives peace and unless you have peace you can ever make war sounds like a contradiction doesn't, but you got to have that piece of God in your heart is a how to say that attack what comes against your integrity with lives he comes against your purity with loss. But how does he come against your tranquility.

When he put stones and briars and and doubts and discouragement. Whatever he can do to destroy your peace be at peace right now. Are you just churning on the inside but he'll have peace right now to what you have peace right now is not because of circumstance. Peace in the Bible is not the subtraction of problems from life. Peace is the addition of power to meet those problems. The Bible says great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend now the only way you can live that way is to put on the shoes of peace.

That is the preparation of the good news of peace. Jesus made peace with the blood of his cross, and if you don't have this if you don't have this you going to slip and fall in the battle and coming up tomorrow will you part two of this important message from Adrian Rogers. Maybe today you have questions about who Jesus is or what he means to you.

How to begin a relationship with God through Christ and our discovery, Jesus page@lwf.org/radio. There you'll find answers and materials that can answer any questions you may have about thanks for studying God's word with us today if you like to start receiving daily devotions and links to our program sure to sign up for our daily emails and LWF.org/radio and we hope you'll join us tomorrow for the division of Christian warfare mighty online would find